جستجوی جدید

Chapter four

New Quest

Don Quixote stayed in bed for several weeks. His niece and housekeeper watched him closely, hoping his knightly madness was finished.

One day, the barber and the priest visited him.

“I’m fully recovered and ready to get back to my old life,” said Don Quixote.

“So old friend,” asked the priest, “what do you think our king should do about this Turkish sultan who has threatened to attack our shores?”

“I would hold a jousting contest to find the bravest knight in all of Spain,” said Don Quixote. “Then I would send that single courageous knight to conquer the sultan’s armies.”

Don Quixote sat up in bed, demonstrating the sword thrusts to destroy the sultan’s forces.

“Oh dear,” said the barber to the priest, “it seems as if our friend’s sanity has not returned. We may have to employ more shocking tactics to bring his mind back.”

Suddenly Sancho squeezed into the room with a grin on his face and gave the old knight some good news.

“Last night I was at a party to welcome back young Carrasco, who has been studying at Salamanca University. Before I could say ‘hello’, he told me he had read about all of our adventures,” said Sancho. “Somebody wrote a book called Don Quixote, and it’s the biggest bestseller in all of Spain!”

“Bring him to me, my squire. I must meet this young man,” said Don Quixote.

A few minutes later, Sancho returned, leading a young man with a chubby face and a mischievous expression into the room. Before Don Quixote could speak, the youth fell onto his knees and said, “Oh, great knight, I’m humbled to be in your excellent presence!”

Carrasco kept talking, trying to control his giggles. “In all the history of chivalry, no one can find a braver, more extraordinary knight than Don Quixote. The book is beloved by every man and woman in every social class. The author is even talking about writing part two!”

“Well then,” cried Don Quixote, hopping out of bed, “it’s time to get back in the saddle. My public needs me!”

Seven days later, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza saddled their mounts and prepared to ride. Carrasco was there to wish them farewell.

Suddenly the housekeeper and niece burst out of the house and cried, “What’s going on here? Where’s the priest? He must stop this madness!”

Carrasco whispered to them, “Don’t worry. The priest and I have a plan to bring him home. You’ll see in a day or two.”

Then Don Quixote shouted farewell, and they rode off.

“So what’s our first move?” asked Sancho after they had been riding for an hour.

“We are riding to El Toboso where you will guide me to the palace of my mistress.”

“Oh no,” fretted Sancho. “I’m not sure I can remember where she lives.”

Later they found themselves riding around the dark streets of El Toboso, hopelessly lost. Sancho convinced Don Quixote that they should wait until morning to find Dulcinea. After eating breakfast at their campsite, Sancho rode off, trying to figure out what to do.

As he was trying to think of a solution, Sancho saw three peasant girls riding across the plain on donkeys. He had an idea. He turned around and rode back to camp.

“Master, I have great news,” he cried.

“Will she allow me to visit?” Don Quixote asked hopefully.

“Polish your suit. She couldn’t wait for your visit. She’s riding here with two of her maids.”

Don Quixote ran around in a panic. Sancho helped him into his armor, and minutes later they were riding through the trees.

“Where is she?” cried Don Quixote.

“Over there,” said Sancho, pointing to the peasant girls who were riding past.

“All I see are three ugly girls on donkeys,” said Don Quixote.

“But sir, those are the prettiest women I have ever seen.”

Don Quixote walked up to them and asked the one in the middle, “Are you my mistress, Princess? Are you Dulcinea, the sweetest rose in Spain?”

The girl let out a big laugh, “Sorry, Granddad, I can’t waste time talking with lunatics.”

Then she kicked Sancho so hard he almost fell off his donkey. The girls rode off, leaving Don Quixote in a cloud of dust.

“The evil wizard has changed my love into a disgusting country wench!” cried Don Quixote.

“It’s terrible,” cried Sancho, clapping his hands with glee because his plan was working so well.

“Now I am truly the Knight of the Long Face. This evil wizard has struck me in my weakest spot! I must find a way to break his spell and restore her beauty!”

Don Quixote spent the rest of that day crying in the woods, reciting poetry about lost love. Sancho contented himself with two salamis and a leather cask of wine.

Suddenly Don Quixote hissed, “I hear two men approaching in the forest.”

“Where?” asked Sancho.

“On the other side of those bushes.”

Then the two sat and listened.

“My lady, Casilda, is the most lovely woman in Spain!” said the voice. “And she has sent me, the Knight of the Forest, on my mission to destroy all knights who would disagree.”

“This knight lies,” whispered Don Quixote.

“You are mistaken!” shouted Don Quixote, stepping out of the bushes to face the knight.

“I must tell you that my Dulcinea is the most beautiful woman on Earth.”

“Then we must do battle,” the other knight replied coolly.

“We will joust at dawn,” replied Don Quixote.

“Yes, but there is one condition. The loser must return to his village and swear to stay there and not enter any combat for one year.”

“I accept,” answered Don Quixote.

The next morning at dawn, the knights met on opposite sides of a clearing. To the left of the Knight of the Forest was his squire, a hunchback with a large purple nose.

Without warning, the Knight of the Forest spurred his steed into a gallop and charged Don Quixote with his lance. Don Quixote immediately raised his lance. At the last moment, the Knight of the Forest’s horse neighed and refused to take another step. Don Quixote charged with all his might and knocked the other knight out of his saddle. Don Quixote quickly jumped down from Rocinante, drawing his sword and holding it to the downed knight’s neck.

“Do you surrender?” Don Quixote demanded.

“Yes,” cried the Knight of the Forest, “I’m finished.”

Then Don Quixote commanded Sancho to remove the knight’s helmet.

“Well,” cried Sancho, “this knight looks like that youth Carrasco!”

“Yes, he does,” agreed Don Quixote. “The power of this evil wizard to change people’s faces is amazing.”

“No, I really am Carrasco,” sobbed the student.

“It would be safer to kill him now,” said Sancho. Don Quixote raised his sword to strike, but the hunchback rushed over and flung off his robe. It was Don Quixote’s friend, the barber. “Put your sword away,” he said.

“Amazing,” said Don Quixote, “This evil wizard never stops.”

The barber dragged Carrasco away toward their campsite, cursing him for not being better in a joust.

The next morning found Don Quixote and Sancho Panza riding through a wheat field. The victory over the Knight of the Forest left Don Quixote feeling unstoppable. He didn’t suspect for a moment that it had been a plot hatched by the priest to bring him back to the village.

Stepping onto the road, the knight and his squire came upon a royal cart. Raising his lance, Don Quixote blocked the cart and said, “Halt, or I’ll slice you in two. I demand to know what you have in this cart.”

“A lion,” called one of the cart drivers, “A gift to our king from an African prince.”

“Dangerous?” asked Don Quixote.

“It’s thirsty for blood. It’s even more dangerous because it’s hungry. So clear off, old man, before you get hurt.”

“I am Don Quixote,” proclaimed the knight. “And I’m not afraid of any pussy cats!”

Then he swung his lance below the driver’s nose. “Open the cage!”

Sancho and the driver’s mate quickly ran up a nearby hill, while Don Quixote positioned himself in front of the lion’s cage, and the driver prepared to pull a rope that would open it.

“Will you reconsider?” asked the driver.

“Don Quixote does not fear danger!” shouted the knight. “Pull!”

The door crashed open, and a gigantic lion stuck his head into the air. His jaws were black and covered with thick drool, his teeth yellow and curved like knives. The lion’s eyes blazed as if on fire.

“I’m waiting for you, King of the jungle,” Don Quixote cried fearlessly. “Are you afraid to come out?”

The lion stared at the old knight for a moment, and then yawned and went to sleep.

“This lion is a coward!” shouted Don Quixote. “Driver, rattle his cage. Make him roar!”

“I will not!” replied the driver, dropping the rope that closed the lion’s cage. “You are the bravest man in Spain. No one else would go up against a man-killer.”

“Will you swear to our king?” asked Don Quixote.

“He will receive a full report of your bravery,” replied the driver.

Don Quixote signaled to Sancho and the driver’s mate that it was safe to return.

“From this day on,” announced Don Quixote, “I wish to be known as the Knight of the Lions. Men will tell tales of this adventure hundreds of years to come!”